Sitting in the cello section of the Erie Chamber Orchestra, Jean Verdecchia was steeped in the mission of founder and music director Bruce Morton Wright: "Bring music to the entire community" free of charge.

As the director of the Symphonic Singers of Erie, Verdecchia evangelizes for choral music the way the ECO does for orchestral music. Of course, the appetite for choral music is never higher than in December, and the Singers are predictably busy, offering several concerts, two of them for the public.

"We start practicing right after Labor Day and we practice once a week for maybe two hours, going over the difficult stuff until we're ready," said Don Ellsworth, who has been a Singers member for seven years. He added with a chuckle, "Of course, sometimes we're not sure we're ready."

True to the symphonic designation in the group's name, the Singers tackle challenging material, including music written with eight-part harmony. That said, the group includes a fair number of singers who are regulars in area church choirs, including Ellsworth and his wife, who also sing at Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Fairview.

"A few members are now or have been members of the Erie Philharmonic Chorus, too," Ellsworth added.

The Singers' holiday program includes a selection of sacred and secular material. There will be well-loved songs, "Carol of the Bells" and "Silent Night" among them, and less-known music, such as Gustav Holst's lovely "Christmas Day" and John Carter's "O Love So Small."

All of it, Ellsworth said, is fun to perform.

"We found something we love to do -- finding yourself able to do something that you maybe didn't think you could, and getting the satisfaction for doing something beautiful for others that you enjoy, too."